Nintendo 3Ds 2015 D Pad Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          25 minutes

Sections

Battery
3 steps
SD Card Reader
3 steps
Lower Case
3 steps
Gamecard Reader
2 steps
D Pad
2 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery

Unscrew the two 3mm Phillips #0 head screws along the top edge of the device.
The screws on the back panel strip easily. Go slowly and press down firmly.
The screws on the back panel are held in by locking washers, so they won’t come out of the back panel.

Unscrew the two 3mm Phillips #0 head screws along the top edge of the device.

The screws on the back panel strip easily. Go slowly and press down firmly.

The screws on the back panel are held in by locking washers, so they won’t come out of the back panel.

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Step 2

Pull the top corner tabs of the front face plate outward and towards you.
Pull the faceplate up and out of the slots at the bottom of the device.
Set aside the back faceplate.

Pull the top corner tabs of the front face plate outward and towards you.

Pull the faceplate up and out of the slots at the bottom of the device.

Set aside the back faceplate.

Step 3

Insert a plastic opening tool into the notch at the top of the battery.
Pry the battery up with the plastic opening tool.

Insert a plastic opening tool into the notch at the top of the battery.

Pry the battery up with the plastic opening tool.

Step 4

              SD Card Reader

Unscrew the three 3mm Y0 screws along the right and bottom of the SD card reader.
The bottom of the SD card reader should slightly pop out after removing the screws.

Unscrew the three 3mm Y0 screws along the right and bottom of the SD card reader.

The bottom of the SD card reader should slightly pop out after removing the screws.

Step 5

Pull the SD card reader from the edge with two holes gently to free the tab at the top of the SD card reader.
Don’t completely pull the SD card out of the device yet. There is a ribbon cable connected under the SD card reader.
Reorient the device so that the power jack faces you.

Pull the SD card reader from the edge with two holes gently to free the tab at the top of the SD card reader.

Don’t completely pull the SD card out of the device yet. There is a ribbon cable connected under the SD card reader.

Reorient the device so that the power jack faces you.

Step 6

Lift the SD card reader gently.
Use a plastic opening tool to pry the SD card ribbon cable off the socket on the motherboard.
Lift the SD card reader out off of the lower casing.

Lift the SD card reader gently.

Use a plastic opening tool to pry the SD card ribbon cable off the socket on the motherboard.

Lift the SD card reader out off of the lower casing.

Step 7

              Lower Case

Reorient the device so that the game slot now faces you.
Remove the two rubber bumpers along the top of the device using tweezers.
Unscrew the seven 6mm Phillips #00 screws along the top and bottom of the 3DS.

Reorient the device so that the game slot now faces you.

Remove the two rubber bumpers along the top of the device using tweezers.

Unscrew the seven 6mm Phillips #00 screws along the top and bottom of the 3DS.

Step 8

Lift the top edge of the lower case slightly off on the 3DS.
Don’t pull the lower casing completely off, you may break those connections. There are ribbon cables that must be disconnected first.
Pry the ribbon cable socket under the right trigger using a plastic opening tool.
Pry the ribbon cable socket under the infrared receiver cover using a plastic opening tool.

Lift the top edge of the lower case slightly off on the 3DS.

Don’t pull the lower casing completely off, you may break those connections. There are ribbon cables that must be disconnected first.

Pry the ribbon cable socket under the right trigger using a plastic opening tool.

Pry the ribbon cable socket under the infrared receiver cover using a plastic opening tool.

Step 9

Open the device slowly from its top edge. Be careful not to tug the ribbon cable connected near the bottom edge of the device.
Pry the last ribbon cable attached to the lower case using a plastic opening tool.

Open the device slowly from its top edge. Be careful not to tug the ribbon cable connected near the bottom edge of the device.

Pry the last ribbon cable attached to the lower case using a plastic opening tool.

Step 10

              Gamecard Reader

Locate the gamecard reader near the bottom right corner of the motherboard.
Unscrew the four 3mm Phillips #00 screws along the edge of the gamecard reader.
Lift the black latch on the ZIF connector along the right side of the reader using a plastic opening tool.

Locate the gamecard reader near the bottom right corner of the motherboard.

Unscrew the four 3mm Phillips #00 screws along the edge of the gamecard reader.

Lift the black latch on the ZIF connector along the right side of the reader using a plastic opening tool.

Step 11

Pry the ribbon cable from its socket, just left of the joystick, using the flat side of a spudger.
Grab the right edge of the gamecard reader and lift it out of the device, watching to make sure the ribbon cables don’t snag.

Pry the ribbon cable from its socket, just left of the joystick, using the flat side of a spudger.

Grab the right edge of the gamecard reader and lift it out of the device, watching to make sure the ribbon cables don’t snag.

Step 12

              D Pad

Remove the four 3mm Phillips #00 screws from the four corners of the D pad board.
Lift the D pad board out of the device.

Remove the four 3mm Phillips #00 screws from the four corners of the D pad board.

Lift the D pad board out of the device.

Step 13

Peel the rubber piece, backing the D pad, out of the device.
Lift the D pad out of the device with a pair of tweezers.

Peel the rubber piece, backing the D pad, out of the device.

Lift the D pad out of the device with a pair of tweezers.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Author

                                      with 1 other contributor

                    Tyler Starr

Member since: 10/06/2016

1,293 Reputation

                                      7 Guides authored                  



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Team

                       Cal Poly, Team 4-6, Livingston Fall 2016                        

                                                  Member of Cal Poly, Team 4-6, Livingston Fall 2016 



                    CPSU-LIVINGSTON-F16S4G6                     


                                            4 Members                     


                                            35 Guides authored

jharris - Jul 7, 2017

I think you missed a few steps after step 9. There is no mention of removing the 3DS Cartridge reader or Circle Pad.

Birby B. - Sep 2, 2017

Jharris is right

Tyler Starr - Sep 3, 2017

Thanks for pointing that out! I think it is fixed now.

-Tyler

Flute_Boi - Jul 15, 2020

My new 3DS d-pad is stuck in the up direction, what could be the problem?

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team